ANN ARBOR ? A record 550 people packed the first day of the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium, a two-day conference that connects potential investors with 32 Midwest technology companies, which will give their pitches Thursday.
The old record, 472 attendees, was set just last year, said David Brophy, conference host who is Director of the University of Michigan Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance.
?It?s been phenomenal,?? Brophy said. ?We?ve had hundreds of private equity finance professionals attend with more than 80 funds represented. It?s about as good as it gets. Don?t lose sight that this is Michigan and this isn?t suppose to happen here. But it is and we?re exposing what we have in Michigan to investors from around the country ? good technology and good people.?
On Thursday, 32 carefully screened companies ? in life sciences, information technology, and alternative energy ? will attempt to woo these investors with a 10-minute pitches that highlight what their companies do, and how they will make investors money. Brophy said 90 technology companies applied to strut their stuff at the Symposium.
?There are high quality companies presenting,?? he said. ?The 32 we selected went through three rounds of screening to offer our investors the top technology deals in Michigan and the Midwest.?
Brophy said the Symposium is offering a one-day pass to anyone who wants to check out the presenting companies or attend a variety of investing seminars offered throughout the day. The special one-day pass is priced at $300. It also includes the opportunity to listen to two keynote speeches, one given by Tony Early, CEO of DTE Energy, and the other by David Rubenstein, Managing Director of the Carlyle Group.
The 24th annual Michigan Growth Capital Symposium is again held at the U-M Ross School of Business at 701 Tappan in Ann Arbor. Walk-up registration is welcome.
For further information, click on MichiganGCS.Com
